It took some convincing for me to try the new Phantom Spell record. I didn’t know anything about them, and the double whammy of the two-unrelated-fantasy-words band name and the wild-west-Adventure–Time cover art had me expecting some pretty unoriginal New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. Don’t get me wrong: from Visigoth to Sumerlands to The Night Eternal, I know how fun and infectious that style can be. However, I find that groups in the NWOTHM have the most singular focus in metal on worshipping bands who peaked 40+ years ago. This can lead to struggles in sounding interesting and original, and so it’s hard to press play on any random record. Even there, Phantom Spell’s barriers to artistic innovation do not stop. This is because they belong to the most parochial, stuck-in-the-past faction out of all the NWOTHM camp: those who play proto-metal. These bands, such as Wytch Hazel, Tanith, and Hällas, forsake even heaviness itself to sound as retro as possible while still technically playing metal. They may have chugging riffs with trad metal stylings, but headbanging crunch is nowhere to be found, and so they sometimes rely on little more than catchy melodies and vintage vibes. The genre’s stars make it work, but it’s a tough sell. Still, after seeing the positive attention Heather & Hearth has been getting, I decided it was worth a shot.
The album opens on “The Autumn Citadel”, which greets you with a big guitar chord and a righteous peal of synth. The nostalgic goals of sole member Kyle McNeill are clear from the start. Then, the guitars begin to chug like Adrian Smith, and we’re off to the races. Synth and organ embellish the riffs simultaneously, and there are plenty of off-meter rhythmic flourishes, revealing the second primary influence here: classic prog rock. Yes and Kansas come to mind most clearly. McNeill never goes full prog, though – it’s always just enough to keep things epic and interesting without tarnishing the metal atmosphere. Indeed, he has said that a main goal of Phantom Spell is to explore the common ground between proto-metal and 70’s prog rock (see this interview with Metal Temple). He is already a master of NWOTHM with his band Seven Sisters, and this is his chosen direction to experiment in solo. Though bands have certainly explored this connection before (Hällas especially), it’s a diverse enough palette for each of the songs here to be more than the sum of their influences, to take on a life of their own.
“The Autumn Citadel” runs for nearly twelve minutes in total, weaving an unfinished tale of a warrior woman carrying embers to an ancient wizard’s tower. McNeill uses the story as a vehicle for irresistible hooks and choruses that glimmer with fantastic imagery. The guy writes a sweet melody, and his voice is clear and refreshing as a mountain lake. The chorus is so good that the song ends on a fade-out and it doesn’t sound corny. This doesn’t happen every day, people. In between the bits with vocals, guitars and organ trade ripping solos without getting lost in the sauce.
The next two songs each clock in under four minutes. Though the change in pace feels odd after the odyssey that opened Heather & Hearth, each is a tight, compelling number on its own. “The Siren’s Song” is a rocking but somber tune about a wanderer who loses his life searching for fortune. It’s interesting that an album whose title evokes home opens with two songs about harsh, unresolved journeys. “Evil Hand,” the tightest rocker on the album thanks to its d-beats, then shatters the illusion that this could be a concept album with stern images of oppression. Just read the second verse:
‘They see no difference
We are one and all the same,
It’s them against us all.
And when the blood,
From foreign lands has washed away,
You will be next to fall.’
The direct urgency of these lines and others like them make this album more than an exercise in nostalgia and escapism. Clearly the things that make us feel warmth and belonging are jeopardized by injustice, wherever it may be. Where many NWOTHM albums might stick in the past or in a nonexistent world, Heather & Hearth is prepared to engage with challenging aspects of the here and now. This focus allows it to strike a deep emotional chord, and makes its infectious melodies and vivid lyricism all the more memorable.
The final two tracks return to the epic and grandiose pacing of the opener, but retain the sense of tragedy that came after. Though “A Distant Shore” yearns for escapism, it is forced to reckon with the fragile reality of the human condition. Musically the true ballad of the album, it uses imagery of epic landscapes to ponder the mysteries and tragedies that we all share. Somber verses are broken by keyboard solos that really ought to be corny but, again, just aren’t. Then, the eleven-minute closer and title track might be the weakest moment on the album. Where “The Autumn Citadel” was able to pace evenly and sprinkle excitement throughout without wearing its welcome, “Heather & Hearth” drags after the seven-minute mark, where it feels like the emotional conclusion has already been reached. Lyrically, it also feels like a slightly less vivid echo of the previous track. Nonetheless, all its parts are individually grand and heartfelt, and it does its maximum to create an epic conclusion to a very epic record.
In any case, Heather & Hearth refines the Phantom Spell sound with earworm melodies and songwriting focused on them, while maintaining the propensity for wandering, prog-tinted instrumentals. While I won’t spare much time to discuss Phantom Spell’s 2022 debut, Immortal’s Requiem, I will say that album was more erratic and in the prog sauce by comparison. The production has also matured and is a great strength of this record. The sound is firmly rooted in ’70s nostalgia and creates a sense of magical departure, but also remains very immediate and grabbable. In a way, this is the perfect reflection of the album’s themes, pulling away towards a distant home while unable to let go of life’s challenges. Despite drawing from musical styles whose heyday is 50 years past, Heather & Hearth has a special charm, and it handles serious topics while remaining seriously fun. For me, it stands tall among NWOTHM releases this year.
